1. Technical Field
The various embodiments described herein are related to radio frequency identification (RFID), and more particularly to connecting people with product information using radio frequency communication techniques.
2. Related Art
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is the wireless non-contact use of radio-frequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data for the purposes of automatically identifying and tracking tags attached to objects. Some tags require no battery and are powered and read at short ranges via magnetic fields (electromagnetic induction). Other tags use a local power source and emit radio waves (electromagnetic radiation at radio frequencies). The tags contain electronically stored information that may be read from up to several meters away. Unlike a bar code, a tag does not need to be within line of sight of the reader and may be embedded in the tracked object. An RFID tag can be affixed to an object and used to track and manage inventory, assets, people, etc. For example, RFID tags can be affixed to cars, computer equipment, books, mobile phones, etc.
RFID offers advantages over manual systems or use of bar codes. The tag can be read if passed near a reader, even if it is covered by the object or not visible. The tag can be read inside a case, carton, box or other container, and unlike barcodes, RFID tags can be read hundreds at a time. Bar codes can only be read one at a time using current devices.
RFID has been incorporated into mobile devices for payment and loyalty programs. Asset management is another area in which RFID has been implemented. Organizations are already using RFID tags combined with a mobile asset management solution to record and monitor the location of their assets, their current status, and whether they have been maintained. Other areas where RFID has been implemented include asset tracking, tolling, electronic vehicle registration, access control, contactless credit cards, etc.
Two common tag types are often seen, e.g., in the United States. The first common tag type is a high frequency (HF) tag that operates at 13.56 MHz. Such tags are used for RFID enabled passports and for near field communication (NFC) applications, which let mobile devices act as RFID readers and transponders. NFC capabilities are also being incorporated into contactless credit cards. The second common tag type is an ultra-high frequency (UHF) tag that operates in the 860-960 MHz band in the U.S.
UHF tags tend to work over longer ranges than HF tags. For example, a typical UHF tag can work at distances of several meters, whereas HF tags are typically limited to distances of under a meter and often much shorter ranges.
Because of the longer operating ranges, UHF tags are preferably used for supply chain management; however, adoption and wide scale deployment has been slow. On the other hand, when it comes to transactions such as purchasing transactions, shorter read ranges are preferable as a means to help keep transaction data secure by not broadcasting it over larger distances. Consequently, many mobile devices have high frequency, e.g., NFC capabilities built in so that the mobile device can be used for transacting.